Kirk’s ‘very direct impact’ on youth will carry forward his work: Zito
The article discusses the impact of Charlie Kirk, cofounder and CEO of Turning Point USA, on young voters and conservative politics. Senior Columnist Salena Zito reflects on Kirk’s influence, noting that he played a important role in energizing young supporters of former President Donald Trump.She expresses her emotional response to Kirk’s death on September 10, describing him as a bold and transformative figure who inspired a generation to feel purposeful and politically engaged.
Zito highlights a surge in political activism among young people, especially after Kirk’s assassination, predicting that this voting bloc will continue to grow and be actively involved in conservative causes. She shares her observations from attending church services and revival events filled with motivated youth, emphasizing their determination to carry forward Kirk’s legacy.
Additionally, the article touches on the broader political climate, mentioning Trump’s near-assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and comparing its impact on Trump to the affect of kirk’s death on his supporters. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has vowed to continue his movement, warning that the response to his death will be powerful and widespread. The article underscores ongoing debates about political speech on campuses and increasing interest in self-defense among women in the wake of recent events.
Charlie Kirk’s ‘very direct impact’ on youth will carry forward his work: Salena Zito
Washington Examiner Senior Columnist Salena Zito said Wednesday that Charlie Kirk is responsible for “a lot” of President Donald Trump’s support from younger voters, predicting the voting bloc isn’t going to “shrink.”
Zito said she never cries when covering the news, but she “cried last week” and every day since Kirk was killed on Sept. 10. She also said she was “gutted” since following Kirk when he was 18 years old, and that he was “a really bold and brassy kid” who changed the world.
Zito recalled the book she published earlier this year, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland, and spoke on the effect of Trump’s first assassination attempt on the 2024 election. She said people weren’t “paying attention” to large numbers of excited, young voters.
“Young women, young men, they’re excited, they’re happy, they feel purposeful, and a lot of that came from Charlie. And so he had a very direct impact on this younger generation, and if you read the piece I wrote today, they aren’t going to shrink. They are going to be bold and purposeful in carrying forward what he inspired them to be part of,” Zito said on The Hugh Hewitt Show.
Zito also said she attended Mass at a “little country church” on Sunday, where “you couldn’t get in the back door.” She then went to a revival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where “busloads of kids” were feeling “bold and purposeful.”
Zito, a friend of Trump who witnessed him get shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, said what “really impacted” him was the death of Corey Comperatore, who was killed in the assassination attempt. She said “it’s the same thing” with Kirk’s death and how it is affecting the president.
Zito said she’s still figuring out how Kirk’s death will affect the future, but that she’s seen a “surge” of mothers and women purchasing firearms. She also predicted that if universities try to clamp down on political speech, people will still find “a way” to conduct civil debates.
Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, said last week she would continue her husband’s movement at Turning Point USA. She also said, “You have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country.”
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